[Cross-posted from Kentucky Space] Watch stage and capsule separation (3:50 and 9:45, respectively) and the see Earth curve into view from aboard yesterday's second flight of Falcon-9, SpaceX's entry in a new era of commerical spaceflight.

And check out the company representatives at the conclusion of the video!

On its second trip, the 16 story rocket, designed by Paypal founder Elon Musk's new company to meet business as well as technical goals, delivered the Dragon capsule to orbit. It later splashed down on target in the pacific, marking the first time the private sector had successfully reentered and recovered an orbiting spacecraft. If all goes as planned, over the next few months SpaceX will send Dragon to within kilometers of the ISS and conclude the demonstration phase of its $1.6b contract with NASA by docking with the space station. Dragon has also been designed to ferry crew to the ISS.

Going forward, NASA will lean on the private sector for access to low Earth orbit so that it may focus its resources on destinations deeper afield.